ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Thailand on Thursday agreed to further enhance their bilateral ties especially in the field of trade and economic and cooperation in the fight against terrorism. During a meeting Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Thailand Surapong Tovichakchaikul expressed their satisfaction agreed to convene the meeting of Joint Trade Commission very soon. Hina Rabbani Khar said the trade between the two countries has crossed one billion dollars mark this year and expressed the hope that with the meeting of Joint Trade Commission, the trade relations would be further improved.

She said although it was the first ever visit of any Thai Foreign Minister to Pakistan in last ten years but the two countries have very strong relations and commonality of views on all regional and international issues. The meeting of Joint Trade Commission will lead to the negotiations for Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, she added. The Commerce and Trade Minister of Thailand will visit Pakistan next month to further promote trade ties, she added. Rabbani Khar said both the countries have also agreed to further cooperate and enhance security dialogue, discuss visa liberal regime and exchange training programmes at Foreign Office Training Academy. Surapong Tovichakchaikul said both the countries celebrated 60 years of their bilateral relations last year and Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited Pakistan last year.

Thai Foreign Minister highlighted five points for bilateral relations and said it was great satisfaction bilateral trade has cross the one billion dollar mark this year but still there was room for further enhancing this trade. He said there has been direct investment from Thailand to Pakistan and expressed the hope it would be further increased in near future. He said the Joint Trade Commission of the two countries would meet very soon to further enhance bilateral trade. During last year, 56,000 Pakistani visited Thailand that indicated that there has been strong connectivity between the two countries adding due to Gandhara Civilization, there was a scope of religious tourism from Thailand to Pakistan. He said Pakistan could be a gateway for Thailand to improve trade links with Afghanistan and other countries. On the security issue he said both the countries have agreed to further enhance cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He said Thailand would host third meeting of combating terrorism by end of this month.